Solomon: Ryans eager to play full-time role for Texans

Updated 9:54 pm, Wednesday, November 2, 2011

DeMeco Ryans is convinced his body is getting closer to being where he wants it to be.

Better today than yesterday. Better this past Sunday than the week before. And better tomorrow, he expects, than it is today.

That doesn't mean he hasn't been frustrated as he works his way back from a torn Achilles' tendon suffered a year ago.

"You fight the frustration because you know it is coming," Ryans said, "and you're excited because you know it's coming. I can feel it."

Feeling it and showing it are two different things. The Texans linebacker, who has been the heart and soul of the defense since his arrival in 2006, isn't quite the player he was when he made Pro Bowls in 2007 and '09. But the suggestion he isn't capable of getting the job done irks him.

Almost as much as the hint of worry from some that the loss of backup linebacker Darryl Sharpton to a season-ending leg injury will be a problem for the Texans going forward.

Not that Ryans doesn't acknowledge Sharpton's contribution to a defense that to this point has been the best in team history. Thanks in part to Ryans' tutelage, Sharpton, a second-year linebacker from Miami, was already a key contributor on special teams and was coming on strong as a sub for Ryans.

"That's a tough loss for us," Ryans said. "Darryl is a great player. He can definitely be a starter in this league. He's a tremendous athlete and a great player. It's going to be tough."

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It won't be as tough if Ryans, who also is dealing with an elbow injury that has been a problem since before the season began, returns to form.

With Sharpton down, the Texans moved undrafted rookie Mister Alexander up from the practice squad. That is a special-teams move. Ryans will be called on to handle more of the linebacker load.

"DeMeco continues to come along physically," coach Gary Kubiak said. "I mean he's fine, but I'm just saying getting back into everything with all the nicks he's been through. Obviously, we're going to ask him to take his full load back, and we may have to do some things as a team to get him some help in here defensively because we're going to be another body short."

'I'm good to go'

Ryans doesn't want any help. Actually, he has been reluctant to leave the field.

"No one likes coming out of a ballgame - no competitor, that is," Ryans said. "I want to be out there all the time. That is what I am used to. But I understand that is how we play our defense, and I get that. But I'm good to go. I can play more."

Ryans was a three-down linebacker who rarely missed a play in his first five seasons. But this year, in the Texans' new 3-4, he has been relegated to the base defense only.

Success on first down often puts the Texans into their dime package (six defensive backs with Brian Cushing as the lone linebacker) on second downs. And with the Texans enjoying leads in most games, they have played less base defense than normal on first down.

Cushing has excelled in his move to the inside of the defense after having a disappointing year playing mostly on the weak side in the 4-3 a year ago. He is healthy (after offseason knee surgery) and playing at the Pro Bowl level he did as a rookie two years ago.

Ryans is still working toward that level. Though Achilles' tendon injuries are quite debilitating and require painstaking rehabilitation, returning to form has been done.

Peterson comes to mind

Linebacker Julian Peterson tore an Achilles' in 2004 with the 49ers. He returned the following season and wasn't quite himself, but he signed with Seattle and made the Pro Bowl in 2006. (On a side note, it is a bit of a surprise that Peterson, who had 89 tackles in 15 games with Detroit last season, hasn't been contacted by the Texans, who have also lost linebacker Mario Williams to a season-ending injury.)

Coincidentally, Peterson shares a birthday with Ryans (July 28), and the two suffered the same injury at the same age (26), with Ryans going down in the sixth game of the season, Peterson the fifth.

Ryans doesn't need evidence from a previous case to convince him he will again be a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker.